portfolio pouch

i'm sewing up a few of these portfolio pouches to hold press kits for some upcoming appointments our publisher has. we'll give them to a few special magazine editors who want to know more about a super cute new line of craft sewing books we're releasing soon. the handles are tied in a loose knot so you can slip the bag over your wrist to carry it like a little purse, then they untie to slide the paperwork in and out. i'm gonna switch to pinked raw edges for the handles though, i don't have time on this project to stitch smooth seams for all four bags i need to make.

the perfect craft sewing pouch for a craft sewing pitch!

instructions:
  1. select 3 coordinating fabrics; cut the pouch piece 14"x22" and hem both 14" sides 1/2"
  2. use a pinking blade to cut a wide handle strip 3"x38" and a narrow handle strip 2"x38"
  3. position the handle strips on top of each other, then pin to the center of the pouch, all fabrics right side up. stitch all three fabrics together on top of the narrow strip, per diagram below
  4. fold fabrics in half, right sides together, to form the 13"x11" pouch, pin 11" sides together and stitch closed with 1/2" seam
  5. turn pouch right side out, hand sew a decorative button to the front